2. That Jehoshaphat is called The King of Israel, 2 Chron. 21. 2. for his affinity and society which Ahab and Joram the Kings of Israel had undone him; and when he would not take warning upon his first miscarriage in that kind, 2 Chron. 19. 2. he is sorely punished upon a second, for he loseth his sons, and he loseth his Kingdom; and therefore is he fitly called The King of Israel, for he hath taken more care of that Kingdom then his own, and lost his own by it.
3. That Joram slew his brethren, and the Princes of Judah, presently after his father had left him in the Throne, and was gone away for Moab. This is to be collected from these particulars: 1. It is said, 2 Chron. 21. 12, 13, &c. There came a writing from Elijah the Prophet unto Jehoram, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat, &c. but hast slain thy brethren of thy fathers house, Behold with a great stroke will the Lord smite thy people, &c. Now it is ridiculous to hold as the Jews do, that Elijah sent this letter out of Heaven after he was rapt up thither: But it is without all doubt that he wrote it whilest he was here on earth, before he was taken up.
Now before Jehoshaphat the King of Judah, and Joram the King of Israel, and the King of Edom come to the Battel against Moab, Elijah is taken up, and Elisha is with them: for so it is plain, 2 King. 3. 11. And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a Prophet of the Lord? And one of the King of Israels servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah. Therefore the passage of the whole Story is to be cast into this order, Moab rebelling against the King of Israel, Jeho∣ram the then King desireth Jehoshaphats assistance to help to subdue them: Jehoshaphat consents, raises his forces, sets his son Joram in the throne to rule the Kingdom at home, and so sets forth upon that expedition. Joram when his father was now out of the Land, riseth up against his Brethren and the nobles of Judah, and slayeth them, and resolveth to keep the Kingdom. Elijah being yet alive heareth of this, and though he had no∣thing yet to do with any of the Kings of Judah, yet seeing here Jezabels spirit in this act of Joram, he writes him a terrible letter, leaves it to be conveyed to him, and ere long is conveyed himself in a whirlwind to Hea∣ven: Elisha after his Masters departure returns through divided Jordan to Jericho, to Bethel, to Carmel, to Samaria, and from thence goes down to the Camp in Moab: so that the Story of Elijahs rapture lieth in its pro∣per place, in 2 King. 2. only the beginning of the third Chapter, that mentioneth the beginning of Jorams reign, which was before Elijahs tran∣slation, is a repetition of what was said before in its proper place. Chap. 1. 17. that the full Story of this Joram may be taken up together.
Elisha when he would prophecy, he requireth some Musick to play, and some songs of praises to be sung, and then the Spirit of the Lord cometh upon him, he foretelleth of a great deliverance, and bringeth water mi∣raculously into ditches, as Elijah had done fire. Moab is now become a wash-pot, full of strange water, and these waters do seem to Moab to be nothing but blood: The King of Moab besieged in Kirharaseth, with seven hundred men would break thorow the King of Edoms squadron, but cannot: Howbeit he taketh the Prince of Edom, the Kings eldest son, prisoner, brings him into Kirharaseth again, and there offers him up on the wall for a burnt offering, &c. So burns the bones of this young King of Edom into lime, Amos 2. 1. And there was great indignation against Israel, both from Edom and other Nations about it: for Edom revolted and re∣belled against Israel, 2 King. 8. 20. And the Philistims and Tyrians caught up Israelites as they could lay hold upon them, and delivered them up to Edom: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a peaceable Captivity, Amos 1. 6. 9. not taken by war, but by sleight and deceit: or a perfect Captivity, not to be recovered again.